This invention relates to boat trailers and more specifically to a system for preventing water from entering the wheel axle housing of the trailer when it is submerged in the water during loading or unloading of a boat from the trailer.
Attempts to design systems for preventing water from entering and destroying axle bearings when a boat trailer's axle housing is submerged in water are numerous in the prior art. These include means to pressurize the inside of the axle hub with air from the trailer's tires to prevent water from entering the area adjacent the axle bearings such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,226,162. Other devices apply positive pressure to the lubricant packing the hub of a bearing by springs and the like to prevent water from entering and damaging the bearings of a boat trailer hub as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,190,133.
These devices are attached to the outside end of the hub and perform somewhat satisfactorily; however, due to the complexity of their construction, maintaining sealing of the lubricant under pressure is difficult and maintenance is costly.
In contrast to the aforedescribed devices of the prior art as well as others, the subject invention solves the problem of preventing water from entering the axle housing and destroying the bearings by a simple and inexpensive means. Applicant has discovered that by connecting the bearings by an interconnecting tube, filling the tube with lubricating fluid and venting the inside of the tube to the atmosphere by means of a tubular member which extends a distance above the water level when the wheel hub is submerged prevents water from entering the housing and destroying the bearing.
It is therefore the primary object of this invention to provide a superior means for the purpose of preventing water from entering a boat trailer axle housing when the housing is temporarily submerged thereby protecting the axle bearings from corrosion and damage.
It is another object of the invention to provide a means for accomplishing the aforedescribed purpose which does not require attachment to the outside of the axle housing.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a means for accomplishing the aforedescribed purpose which is extremely simple in construction and efficient in use.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a means for accomplishing the aforedescribed purpose which is economical to manufacture, capable of long operating life and inexpensive to maintain.